I feel it in the air

[stauncherhearted]

[A July catch-all! Pick an option and say hello, or start something more specific in the comments. Hit me up on plurk if you want a specific starter!]

-

Option One
Nancy had gotten her start picking pockets as just a child. It was so easy, when you were so close to the ground, to look in purses, to bump into people and distract them while your friend grabbed their wallet or their iPod. Picking pockets wasn't hard at all, if you knew what you were doing.

Shoplifting had come next, as it often did for teenage girls looking for a quick high. It wasn't that for Nancy, unfortunately. It was a way to make money, to get what she wanted. Slide an important object into her purse and no one was any smarter. Wrap a scarf around her neck and pretend she'd been wearing it when she walked in. It was cake.

And okay, yes, it was a great way to get a quick high. This was what brought Nancy to Spittalfields market. It was a busy afternoon, the stalls were bustling, and no one was paying any sort of attention to what a petite girl like her was doing. So a few pieces of jewelry here, a few wallets there- tourists were idiots. They saw the 'Beware Pickpockets' signs and instantly checked where they kept their valuables. Easy marks.

Besides, she had to make up for the first week or so of the month when she'd been holed up in her flat, escaping the Hunt.



Option Two
The Thames was beautiful at night. The lights reflected off the surface, you couldn't tell how dirty it was, either. You could walk along, cross over bridges, watch people stumble home from clubs. There was a lot of time to think, too.

Of course, down by the water anywhere was where you could find her sort. A pair of fish-nets and high-heels, tiny dress. She hadn't had much luck in pubs earlier that evening, so now it was time to wait till bar close, when men started stumbling home, desperate for a woman. That, also happened to be when many vampires chose to feed. And that's where she made the real money.



Option Three
"I'm tired of having these bloody conversations!" Through grit teeth, a petite ginger paced quickly in front of the tube station. "No- no, you stop it.- Stop talking, and let me explain you devil!" On the other end of the line, a man prattled about, his condescending tone loud. If Nancy had been paying attention to him, he assumed so, unaware that, mid-way through his diatribe, she was rolling her eyes.

Finally, she'd had enough. "Listen here; I'm about to get on the tube. I can't talk. I'll come over before work tonight, talk with him- yes, yes, you'll have it, I got it all sorted, you'll have your potions!" Nancy nearly tosses the phone into her purse, violently pressing on her touch-screen to end the call.

"Bloody bastard."



Option Four
Wild card. Make your own, drop me a line, whatever. A few private starters in the comments!

Comments

[vampiracy]

He'd have been annoyed if he knew her father had told her of his past, but it shouldn't have surprised him. He still sort of looked the part of pirate, even if he'd left his days of plundering and exploring behind him. Hard to get by on piracy these days, unless you were Cambodian, and he was most decidedly not. Now he just looks like a bit of an eccentric dresser, considering he can't quite give up on leather jackets and kohl under his eyes.

"Fancy that indeed." He hasn't been about for awhile, so he hasn't been round to see her father and he hasn't seen her either. "Belize, believe it or not." A vampire in a sunny, tropical place did seem a bit funny, but the fact he had a ring that let him walk in the sunlight was something he took ample advantage of. "How are you, love? Nothing horrid to report, I hope."

He manages to sound more or less genuine in the inquiry, and granted he can sound bloody fascinated in absolute dull conversation when he wants to, there's a part of him that relates to the situation the girl is in. Lost souls that were neglected when they needed help always seem to do that to him, even if he pretends otherwise.

[stauncherhearted]

He looks a bit, in Nancy's opinion, like one of the Lost Boys from the film, trying to go with the time, but never giving up on their punk-rock roots. It's a look that works for him. Others tried to pull it off and, well, looked like some sort of glam-rock reject. Killian was certainly handsome enough that he could pull it off. He had, and forgive her for using the world, the right sort of swagger.

"Belize! Oh!" She was practically swooning at the very idea, her features lighting up. "I've never been- you'll have to tell me about it. What was it like? Was it beautiful?" It's moments like this when it's easy to see how young she is, how eager she is for friendship and affection. It's nice not to have to hide anything from someone like she did with... nearly everyone else she knew. Eames, sure she didn't have to hide, and not really Kenzi, either. Though with Kenzi, she tried to keep the dirty details far from her. She didn't want to cause her best friend to worry. Or do something stupid like she knew she would.

"No, nothing horrid. There's a new coven for Circle Midnight, which is going to be interesting." She was one of the founding members, though her name was out of it. As far as the coven went, it was Sigyn that had done this, not Nancy. Fake names were always a wonder.

That, and "A friend of mine's got a newborn he's taking under his wing, as well." Cooper. Poor Cooper. She'd gone and poisoned him, to save her own life. And taking care of a strung-out-on-fae-blood vampire was hard work.

[vampiracy]

"It was gorgeous. I've a few pictures, I'll have to bring some for you next time I'm by to see your father." He manages to not grimace just at the word, because he knows that grizzled old fae is not a father to her. He doesn't care for Fagin, but he knows better than to make an enemy of the Unseelie. He couldn't save every tragic story before they got to the ending. He's too old and seen it too many times now. The fact it aches at all is one he'd like to ignore. "Perfect sailing," he finishes, and that particular love has never quite died. He'll likely always prefer to be on water than land, even though the world didn't admire sailing the way it used to.

"Is there?" That's a note he makes sure to file back, look into. He's not an enemy of the witches, far from it, in fact he does try to stay on their good side. Even a former pirate knew the value in allies.

He mimes a decent note of sympathy at the idea of a newborn. "Be careful around that one, love. They never have control at first, no matter what they say." He was fond enough of the girl he wouldn't appreciate seeing her harmed. Little annoyed him more than a vampire without control.

[stauncherhearted]

"That'd be wonderful- but you don't have to see him to see me, you know." She fluttered her eyelashes at him just slightly as she smiled up at him. She'd known him for some time, and he'd wormed his way into her heart. He was a school girl crush that never fully went away.

Nancy nods. "Don't worry- I've got enough VT to kill a man, and heard plenty of warnings." SHe'd never run into him, luckily. But Cooper on Fae Blood was bad enough.

"Spent the whole first week of the month being watched- that was loads of fun. Got to the point where I couldn't leave my apartment, with the bloody Hunt." Which brought her to here, working more than usual to make up for all the time she'd missed babysitting, or being babysat.

[vampiracy]

He knew quite well she was fond of him, and in another situation he might have manipulated that to his favor. There was something about her, though, and despite the fact he was far from a good man, perhaps he didn't have to be an utterly loathsome one. He couldn't really help her — or, if he could, he'd never bothered to try — but he didn't have to make things worse on her.

"I might have to take you out for a night, then." He could show her a time, and it wouldn't really do much but make her happy, but she deserved at least that much, didn't she? It was rare he cared about someone enough to try. He knew she fancied him, she wasn't adept at hiding it, and while he was far too old to really connect with her, it didn't mean he couldn't take her out for a night. It might even be interesting, something he was always searching for.

"Good girl," he said approvingly, though perhaps a bit ironically considering what he was. He just thought it was important she be careful, especially considering how she made her living. His kind weren't known for their self control, especially recent turns. He frowned a bit at the idea she was kept inside by the hunt. "It's over now, isn't it?" He should have kept more of an eye on the date. He seemed oddly happy at the thought, but he brushed it off quickly. "Must have gone mad locked inside."

[stauncherhearted]

"A night out, hmm?" She shifted slightly, the ball of her foot digging into the cobblestones. "Well, what kind of girl would I be if I turned down an offer like that?" It'd be nice to be treated to something special like that. It'd been forever since she'd actually had a nice sit-down dinner with a man. She couldn't lie and say she wasn't interested.

"I was- absolutely miserable." She'd spent some of the time trying to get better at video games to impress the boys, but that proved to be fruitless. So instead, she'd studied, practiced a few spells and charms. Following that, she'd had to play babysitter to a fully-grown vampire, but there was no need to sorry Killian about that.

"Where would you want to take me?" Hopefully, it involved dancing.

[vampiracy]

"I can imagine. At least you're out and about now." Truly, the pirate never did well with feeling suffocated, it was a big reason he was in and out of London proper so frequently. The second the ceiling threatened he seemed to be off somewhere tropical. Problem being that no amount of travel really kept him distracted for long; perhaps he'd just run out of things to be interested by in his long life.

He laughs at her curiosity, though it isn't unkind. "I could tell you, but it'd be better as a surprise, don't you say?" He did know how to delight a lady, he was very practiced at it. Dancing, going out for dinner, perhaps a show... He'd think of something. She'd likely take it more seriously than he did, but he was good company when he wanted to be. "I'd offer to see you home, but I figure you're here for a reason." He was probably keeping away business with his conversation.

[stauncherhearted]

"At least." She rolls her eyes, pushing some of her long red hair back from her face. "Got to work extra hard, to make up for the lost time." And she only had so much blood to give.

She beams. "Well you're right. We'll have to do it soon, catch up." It'd be nice, to spend some time with a handsome man, make her feel like maybe she could still be a proper lady.

That gets a laugh. "You're right, unfortunately. Like I said, got to make up for lost time, if I don't want to have to sleep with my land lord." She'd had to do it before, and despite her job, she really freaking hated sleeping with him.

[vampiracy]

"All right. Soon." The problem with the pirate was how easily he could make a promise and forget it shortly after. Being fond of the girl would hopefully keep him from forgetting. She'd remember whether he did or not.

"You need a penny for rent, darling, I've got a few to spare." It was rare he bothered to be charitable, but he doubted the offer would get him far. She didn't seem one for charity, even if he had plenty of money. More than he could ever hope to spend. With that, he gave her a slight nod. "Take care of yourself, Nancy. I'll ring you soon about a night out."

[stauncherhearted]

"Kill, you know I can't ask that." She looked at him seriously through her green eyes. "But I appreciate the offer all the same." It'd be easy just to take from him. But she couldn't, not in good conscious. She had to work for her money, and that was exactly what she did.

Still with a smile, she pointed a well-manicured nail at him. "You better. I won't forget, you know." And he knew it. "You take care, too."